Cutting Ties ☘️

The Unraveling Thread

In the small town of Ranikhet, nestled among the rolling hills of Uttarakhand, Aarohi and Kavya had been inseparable since childhood. They had shared everything—dreams, fears, and countless sunsets on the hill overlooking the valley. Their friendship was a tapestry woven with threads of laughter, tears, and promises. But as the years passed, the threads began to fray.

Aarohi had always been the more grounded one, practical yet empathetic. Kavya, on the other hand, was fiery and ambitious, often chasing dreams that left Aarohi struggling to keep up. Over time, their paths diverged. Aarohi found solace in her love for writing, weaving words into stories that reflected the beauty of their town. Kavya, meanwhile, became consumed with her pursuit of success in the bustling city of Delhi.

Distance wasn’t just physical; it seeped into their conversations, once endless but now reduced to hurried texts and half-hearted promises to meet. Aarohi felt the weight of every unanswered message, every missed call, but she convinced herself that Kavya was simply busy chasing her dreams.

One day, Aarohi received a call from Kavya after months of silence. Kavya’s voice brimmed with excitement as she spoke about a new business venture she was starting. But as the conversation progressed, it became clear Kavya wasn’t reaching out to reconnect—she needed financial help.

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important,” Kavya said, her tone almost dismissive of the months they hadn’t spoken.

Aarohi’s heart sank. This wasn’t the friend she had grown up with, the one who used to sit with her for hours and share secrets under the stars. The bond they once shared felt like a distant memory, replaced by a transactional relationship.

That night, Aarohi sat at her desk, pen in hand, as she grappled with her emotions. She thought of the countless times she had given Kavya the benefit of the doubt, hoping things would return to how they once were. But something within her had shifted. She realized she had been holding onto a version of Kavya that no longer existed.

The next morning, Aarohi called Kavya. Her voice was steady, though her heart trembled. “Kavya, I’ve been thinking,” she began, “I don’t think we’re the same people we used to be. I value what we had, but I can’t keep pretending that things haven’t changed.”

Kavya was silent for a moment before replying, “Are you saying you don’t want to be friends anymore?”

Aarohi took a deep breath. “I think it’s time we let go. For both our sakes.”

The call ended without any dramatic outbursts, just a quiet acknowledgment that their paths had finally diverged. Aarohi felt a strange mix of sadness and relief.

In the weeks that followed, she threw herself into her writing, pouring her emotions into a story about two friends who, despite their love for each other, chose to part ways. It was her way of finding closure.

Sometimes, Aarohi would walk to their favorite hill and sit alone, watching the sun dip below the horizon. She realized that cutting ties didn’t erase the memories—they were still there, etched into her heart. But now, she could look back without feeling the weight of unmet expectations.

In letting go, Aarohi found a new kind of freedom, one where she could honor the past without being bound by it. The thread had unraveled, but the tapestry of her life continued to grow, vibrant and strong.